Conventionally, in order to check the operation of the electrical systems of a vehicle, such as an automobile, vehicle communication related to learning, writing-in, and checking is performed with the vehicle electrical systems. Vehicle communication related to learning is vehicle communication for making components, including ECUs (Electronic Control Units) included in the vehicle electrical systems, learn (store) in advance communication commands and operations corresponding to the communication commands. Vehicle communication related to writing-in is vehicle communication for writing-in data, which is necessary for normal operation of the ECUs, the electrical systems, and components configured by these, into corresponding memories or the like of the electrical systems. Vehicle communication related to checking is checking communication for checking the operation state of the vehicle electrical systems and the like by a vehicle communication apparatus connected to the vehicle electrical systems from outside of the vehicle.
In general, various kinds of electrical components mounted on an automobile are controlled by onboard ECUs, corresponding to respective vehicle states detected by onboard sensors. Prior to shipment of such onboard electrical components, it is necessary to test whether or not the respective onboard electrical components are ensured to operate in a state of being actually mounted on a vehicle. Conventionally, known is an onboard electrical component testing system (for example, see Patent Document 1) for such onboard electrical components. The onboard electrical component testing system described in Patent Document 1 performs tests of operation of various onboard electrical components by performing simulations on a simulated entire vehicle, connecting two communication line systems.
In producing automobiles, for example, there is a case that production of vehicles of a vehicle model, which has been produced at a first base provided with a certain line for checking, is shifted to a second base provided with a different line. In producing vehicles at such a second base, there is also a case that a vehicle model is developed, with new specifications of ECUs. In these cases, normally, before a start of mass-production, a vehicle is carried to a line, line adaptability, implementability of various checking processes, and the like are confirmed. That is, it is confirmed whether communication with the respective ECUs of an actual vehicle transported on a current line is successful and this vehicle can be produced on the current line without a problem. In such a manner, in order to carry out detailed verification of a process on a line, using an actual vehicle, the checking is usually carried out in a late stage of a period of product development. Further, even when the production base is the same, verification of a process is necessary in case of modifying the specifications of electrical systems for a new vehicle model or the like.